Geranium plant named ‘Pacfox’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Pacfox’, characterized by its upright, rounded and uniform plant habit; freely basal branching and flowering habit; leaves with a distinct zonation pattern; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Pacfox’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacfox’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new uniform Zonal Geraniums with attractive flower coloration and high cutting yield.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2001 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. The cultivar Pacfox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacfox’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacfox’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright, rounded and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching and flowering habit.     -   3. Leaves with a distinct zonation pattern.     -   4. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower color and flower form.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Pacshovi, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,210. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Pacshovi in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more vigorous and         larger than plants of the cultivar Pacshovi.     -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger leaves than         plants of the cultivar Pacshovi.     -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had smaller flowers than         plants of the cultivar Pacshovi.     -   4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium and the cultivar Pacshovi         differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacfox’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Pacfox’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Pacfox have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown during the spring in containers in Dresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 18° C., night temperatures about 16° C. and light levels ranging from 15 to 100 kilolux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were about three months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Pacfox. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days             at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days             at 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright, rounded and uniform plant             habit; uniform; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth             habit. Freely basal branching habit with about ten lateral             branches per plant; pinching is not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.         -   Plants height, to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or opposite;             simple. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape:             Reniform. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate; closed. Margin:             Bicrenate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color: Developing and fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A; venation, 144A.             Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146B;             venation, 146C. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Distinct.             Location of zone from margin: About 7 mm. Width: About             1.5 cm. Color: 147A. Petiole: Length: About 5 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Red purple-colored flowers; semi-double             rotate flowers arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels             arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed upright             above the foliage on strong peduncles. Flowers face upright             to outwardly; flowers slightly cupped and uniform. Flowers             persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 15 umbels             per plant, about 20 flower buds and open flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous from             April until frost in the fall.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten             days and umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 7 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 15 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: 146C.         -   Petals and petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About six to             nine. Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Width: About 0.5 cm to             3 cm. Shape: Obovate; petaloids, irregular. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: 66A; towards the margin, 45B;             blotch, 41A; towards the base, close to 155D; venation, 45B;             color becoming closer to 66A with development. When opening             and fully opened, lower surface: 66C; towards the base,             close to 155D; venation, 45B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 146A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About nine. Filament: Less than 1 mm; white in color. Anther             length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color:             172B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 172B.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: 60B.             Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 60D. Ovary color:             148C. Seeds: Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Color: 165A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from about     0° C. to about 35° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacfox’, as herein illustrated and described. 